title: Sex-specific trends in prevalence of childhood asthma over 30 years in Patras, Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  According to four surveys conducted during 1978-2003, the prevalence of childhood asthma and wheezing has risen in the city of Patras, Greece, albeit at a decelerating rate. We examined sex-specific wheeze and asthma prevalence in the same urban environment in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional parental questionnaire survey was performed in 2008 among third and fourth grade schoolchildren (8-9 year old), which was identical to previously conducted surveys in 1978 (n = 3003), 1991 (n = 2417), 1998 (n = 3076) and 2003 (n = 2725).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current wheeze and asthma in 1978, 1991, 1998, 2003 and 2008 (n = 2688) was 1.5%, 4.6%, 6.0%, 6.9% and 6.9%, respectively (p for trend <0.001). Respective values for lifetime (ever had) wheeze and asthma in the 1991-2008 surveys were 8.0%, 9.6%, 12.4% and 12.6% (p for trend <0.001). The male:female ratio of current and lifetime wheeze and asthma increased during the 30-year surveillance period (p for trend <0.001). Irrespective of sex, diagnosed asthma declined among current wheezers by 17% (p < 0.001), but not among non-current ones (6.7%, p = 0.16) during 2003-2008.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood wheeze and asthma have reached a plateau in an urban environment in Greece, while the male:female ratio increased. Asthma diagnosis declined among schoolage but not preschool wheezers during 2003-2008.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Patras, School of Medicine of the University of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece. manthra@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Anthracopoulos
authors.forename: Ageliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pandiora
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fouzas
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panagiotopoulou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liolios
authors.forename: Kostas N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Priftis
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health